Poor Absa Trust Customer Care

After my late mother, MF van der linde passed away on 23 January 2021, I approached ABSA at the Grove branch for assistance since my mother assigned the executorship over to ABSA in 1996. Her will was with ABSA. I was assisted by Charles Pilusa. I did set up all documentation requested on the 39 point list. Charles submitted the documentation to Sanmari Lourens at ABSA estate department. On 1 March 2021 I had a telephonic meeting with Sanmari to confirm the correctness of the documentation submitted. I was then informed that ABSA will not be doing the estate due to the amount being under R250 000.00. My concern is why only inform a client after 25 years that they will not handle the estate. That is absolute poor customer service. ABSA then responded with mail that they will do the estate but, for a R10 000.00 non refundable deposit in advance and a 3.5 % executor fee plus VAT from the estate. I declined this offer and instructed ABSA Estate to submit the documentation to the Master of the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria indicating that ABSA renounce their nomination as executor of the MF van der Linde estate. By doing this, MJ van der Linde (Her son) can then apply for a letter of authority to be appointed as executor to finalise the estate. This estate was handed over to Melanie Bekker at ABSA estate department. ABSA reference that was used in the mail, ***1. Since March 2021 I have been trying to get a DOJ (Department of Justice) reference from the ABSA Estate department. I also visited the Master of the Court in Pretoria for them to confirm that they have not received the estate from ABSA, Nearly five months have passed and ABSA still cannot provide me with a DOJ reference number. On 12 July 2021 I tried the ABSA trust Customer care to assist. No response whatsoever.

I need a reference number from the DOJ to confirm that ABSA has submitted to the Master of the Court. Only then can I apply for the letter of authority from The Master of the Court. This is totally unacceptable and needs attention urgently from ABSA for me to conclude the MF van der Linde estate.

MJ van der Linde